Go to South Asia and Back at New York's Top Indian Restaurants

Ever had a fierce hunger? Assuming you fit into the "human being" category, likely the answer is yes. Indian food provides a culinary opportunity to fill every nook and cranny of your belly. Although the food may not always be Instagram worthy, it doesn't matter. Modern times may dictate otherwise, but we still think that the purpose of going out to eat is - ahem - eating.

For many New Yorkers, "Indian food" means "Curry Hill." This area, affectionately nicknamed as such for its proximity to Manhattan's Murray Hill neighborhood, spans a hilly section of Lexington and 3rd Avenues in the East 20s and 30s. It is packed with Panjabi and Gujarat counter joints, walk-in spots pouring killer lassis, and restaurants like Chote Nawab, with meats that are so fall-off-the-bone you may fail to register there was a bone there in the first place.

But there is so much more to New York's Indian cuisine than these short blocks can contain. Chola, in Midtown East, is a lunch buffet to end all lunch buffets. We also included a food truck because New York wouldn't be New York without Dosa Man at NY Dosas, where people wait in a long line for crunchy samosas stuffed with vegetables and potatoes.

So grab your Metrocard, and get ready to take on Indian cooking, one subway stop at a time. Here is our guide to the best Indian restaurants in New York City.

Saravana Bhavan is not the type of restaurant you go to to be blown away by the modern design elements. You go to eat dosas that are as wide as your table along with Indian food so authentic, there are four branches of this chain of vegetarian restaurants scattered throughout India. The menu is long, but the dosas are a must, as are the Uthappam, which are thick rice and lentil pancakes that can be topped with onions and green peas, or tomatoes and chili. Puffed Poori bread comes to your table the size of a basketball. You will think you are unable to eat it, but then you do.

Saravana Bhavan is not the type of restaurant you go to to be blown away by the modern design elements. You go to eat dosas that are as wide as your table along with Indian food so authentic, there are four branches of this chain of vegetarian... Read More

Founded in 1995 by Gary and Isabel MacGurn, Hampton Chutney has grown from a small operation that supplied gourmet markets in the Hamptons to a veritable enterprise, where the delicious dosas and kati rolls keep seats filled and mouths happy at cafes in Amagansett and the Upper West Side. In addition to traditional dosa (sour-dough crepes filled with chutney) selections, the relocated Soho branch serves several specialty sandwiches that incorporate everything from cilantro chutney dressing to chicken curry. If you need something more substantial, look to their Thali special, which includes a daily vegetable dish along with basmati rice, dal soup, naan, chutney, yogurt and, optionally, grilled chicken.

Founded in 1995 by Gary and Isabel MacGurn, Hampton Chutney has grown from a small operation that supplied gourmet markets in the Hamptons to a veritable enterprise, where the delicious dosas and kati rolls keep seats filled and mouths happy at... Read More

Benares is a city in Northern India (in Uttar Pradesh) and this restaurant focuses on the culinary dishes from this region. The walls are lined with framed banarsi saris and this Tribeca location can seat up to 89 people comfortably. Uttar Pradesh (or UP) is known for its vegetarian dishes and the menu at Benares delivers with standouts like Kashmiri Soup of roasted turnip and beetroot, pigeon peas, fennel, ginger, garlic and cumin. There are also inventive meat dishes, such as the tandoori hen, which marinates a whole Cornish hen in lime, ginger, cumin, garlic and garam masala and cooks it in the tandoori oven. Grab a spacious booth which will provide room for a sure-to-be-distended belly.

Benares is a city in Northern India (in Uttar Pradesh) and this restaurant focuses on the culinary dishes from this region. The walls are lined with framed banarsi saris and this Tribeca location can seat up to 89 people comfortably. Uttar... Read More

Dawat has been described in some reviews as New York's most innovative Indian restaurant. Even when it sticks to the basics, like lemon rice perfumed with lemon rind, curry leaves and mustard seeds, it feels sleek and refined. The driving force behind the North (and occasionally South) Indian menu is famous Bollywood actress and cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey. Dawat means "invitation to a feast" and the room is elegant and aromatic, tandoor and curry dishes wafting in the air. Try the raan, a tender leg of lamb which is braised with spices then roasted in a tandoor oven until it is crispy on the outside and silky on the inside.

Dawat has been described in some reviews as New York's most innovative Indian restaurant. Even when it sticks to the basics, like lemon rice perfumed with lemon rind, curry leaves and mustard seeds, it feels sleek and refined. The driving force... Read More

Don't let it go to his head, but we like Hermant Mathur's cooking so much, we have included two of his restaurants on this list. One of the nations top tandoor masters has done it again as executive chef of Chote Nawab, one of 6 Indian eateries in New York City he contributes to. Chote Nawab translates to "little prince" and the intention is to have you eating as well as the Nawabs of India, the foodies of their day. Kababs and Dum Biryana are specialties, with meat marinated overnight and soaked in yogurt to contribute to its tender texture. The concrete walls decorated with bright plates contributes to the contemporary cozy feel.

Don't let it go to his head, but we like Hermant Mathur's cooking so much, we have included two of his restaurants on this list. One of the nations top tandoor masters has done it again as executive chef of Chote Nawab, one of 6 Indian eateries... Read More

Before there were artisanal food trucks in Hell's Kitchen, or mobile Milk Bars at the Brooklyn Flea, there was this humble Greenwich Village vendor dishing out New York City's best dosas. The word is out on Thiru Kumar's (or Dosa Man, as he is often called) popular street snack, which parks on the corner of downtown Manhattan's Washington Square Park and attracts a long line of South Asian ex-pats, hungry college students and stylishly unkempt hipsters. The crowd-pleasing Pondicherry masala dosa combines curried potatoes, chopped peppers and diced carrots in a paper-thin, lentil and rice flour crepe, and the lentil soup is hearty and homey. At less than $6, it's one of the best bargains in New York City.

Before there were artisanal food trucks in Hell's Kitchen, or mobile Milk Bars at the Brooklyn Flea, there was this humble Greenwich Village vendor dishing out New York City's best dosas. The word is out on Thiru Kumar's (or Dosa Man, as he is... Read More

Grandeur is the word at this fine dining outpost on the border of Chelsea and the Flatiron District. The heavy-handled door and building exteriors are covered in hand-chiseled limestone, invoking a New Delhi palace. The expansive dining room contains reflecting pools filled with lotus flowers, dimly lit banquettes surrounded by white tablecloths, and no shortage of oversized, pink-hued limestone statues. None of this would matter, though, if the menu weren't so solid. Try the Goan shrimp, packing heat in a spicy piri-piri sauce, grilled monkfish in yogurt sauce with serrano chilies, and handi favorites like chicken Malvan. Junoon means "passion" and we can feel it.

Grandeur is the word at this fine dining outpost on the border of Chelsea and the Flatiron District. The heavy-handled door and building exteriors are covered in hand-chiseled limestone, invoking a New Delhi palace. The expansive dining room... Read More

On a mission to eat like a king on a plebeian budget? Give this casual Indian spot in Midtown East a shot. The lunch buffet, priced at under $16, is a neighborhood steal. Come early and come often to tuck into traditional favorites like saag aloo, daal makhni, bhuni gobi matter and rich, creamy butter chicken. The a-la-carte menu is impressively vast, with dosas and tandoori fare alongside goat curry with dry red chilies, cumin-scented jeera ghee rice, and spicy phall, an Anglo-Indian dish cooked with three different chilis. The modest interiors are tastefully decorated, and the service is consistently professional and friendly.

On a mission to eat like a king on a plebeian budget? Give this casual Indian spot in Midtown East a shot. The lunch buffet, priced at under $16, is a neighborhood steal. Come early and come often to tuck into traditional favorites like saag... Read More

Soho Tiffin doesn't want you to only eat salads when you are on a healthy kick. Its nutritionally balanced Indian bowls range from 200-950 calories and can be made to order in less than 2 minutes. Choose between petite and regular sized bowls and the option of tiffin or salad. Then add rice, beans and an entree which can be shredded beef or kale and cauliflower, among other choices. Go nuts on the toppings, because they are unlimited, from spinach raita to mango puree. On the side you can get some kale chips or a mango lassi. It may be the freshest takeout around.

Soho Tiffin doesn't want you to only eat salads when you are on a healthy kick. Its nutritionally balanced Indian bowls range from 200-950 calories and can be made to order in less than 2 minutes. Choose between petite and regular sized bowls... Read More

When it debuted in the Flatiron district, Tamarind changed perceptions of what a modern Indian restaurant in New York could entail. Crisp white linens, soft lighting, and service so attentive it could make the staff of the Four Seasons (discreetly) blush, the restaurant was a bold departure from the fast-food vibe and fluorescent bulbs of the (admittedly delicious) takeout joints in nearby Curry Hill. Now in TriBeCa, well-dressed groups of business associates, couples celebrating anniversaries and multi-generational family outings gaze at the glass-enclosed tandoor kitchen while enjoying dishes like fresh shrimp in a cumin-spiked coconut sauce, apricot-stuffed grilled lamb and crispy fritters with whole spinach, banana and cheese.

When it debuted in the Flatiron district, Tamarind changed perceptions of what a modern Indian restaurant in New York could entail. Crisp white linens, soft lighting, and service so attentive it could make the staff of the Four Seasons... Read More

Meet Courtney Sunday

Courtney Sunday has lived in England, Switzerland, Canada and the US, finding her way into the professions of freelance writing and yoga teaching in between travel opportunities. She learned... More About Courtney